Burton
Our Rating: 3 Stars - It's a start
Price: $ $ $ $
Country of origin: United States
Official brand website: Visit
Environmental Impact: Burton “Not Good Enough”
Our “Planet” rating evaluates brands based on the environmental policies in their supply chains, from carbon emissions and wastewater to business models and product circularity. Here we rate Burton “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:
- It uses some lower-impact materials including recycled materials.
- There’s no evidence it’s taking meaningful action to reduce its climate impacts.
- There’s no evidence it’s taking actions to protect biodiversity in its supply chain.
- There’s no evidence it takes action to minimize its packaging, which is a driver of plastic waste.
Social Responsibility: Burton “Not Good Enough”
Workers’ rights are central to our “People” rating, which assess brands’ policies and practices on everything from child labor to living wages and gender equality. Here we rate Burton “Not Good Enough”. These are a few factors influencing its score:
- Its social auditing program covering its entire final production stage is accredited by Fair Labor Association (FLA).
- There’s no evidence it provides financial security to its suppliers, which can result in poor working conditions and wages.
- There’s no evidence it supports diversity and inclusion in its supply chain.
- It claims to have a program to improve wages but there’s no evidence it ensures its workers are paid living wages in most of its supply chain.
- During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, it disclosed adequate policies to protect workers in its supply chain from the virus.
Animal Welfare: Burton “It’s a Start”
Brands’ animal welfare policies and, where applicable, how well they trace their animal-derived products are the focus of our “Animals” rating. Here we rate Burton “It’s a Start”. These are a few factors influencing its score:
- It’s published a general statement about minimizing animal suffering but not a formal animal welfare policy.
- It appears to use leather.
- ZQ Merino Label and Responsible Wool Standard certifies some of the wool it sources.
- Responsible Down Standard certifies the down it uses.
- It doesn’t appear to use fur, angora, exotic animal skin, or exotic animal hair.
- It traces some animal-derived materials to the first production stage.
Overall Rating: Burton “It’s a Start”
Based on all publicly available information we’ve reviewed, we rate Burton “It’s a Start” overall. While there are areas where Burton falls short in terms of environmental impact and social responsibility, there are also positive steps being taken in animal welfare. We hope to see continuous improvement from Burton in all areas of sustainability to elevate its overall rating in the future.
